


Weirdos Stick Together

by RhoscPixie



Series: Hush, Scream [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series), Critical Role (Wildemount Campaign)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Self-Worth Issues, Team as Family, spoilers for episode 7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 10:19:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13809159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RhoscPixie/pseuds/RhoscPixie
Summary: "Surely, Caleb knew why Molly led him away from everyone, left Nott in the capable hands of Jester, Beau, and Fjord, that it was alright to let go now, that it was safe? But then again, this was Caleb, and Mollymauk Tealeaf hadn't met a man so smart and so hurt since he didn't recognize his own reflection."Mollymauk's POV ofTime For That Now.





	Weirdos Stick Together

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> So after being completely _flabbergasted_ by the sheer volume of being who have actually read _Time For That Now_ (seriously, I expected maybe 4 people to read it, and holy crap was I wrong), I now present Mollymauk's POV! :)
> 
> Onto the pre-read notes!
> 
> There are mentions of most of the circus, but none make an appearence larger than casual mention, so I didn't tag them. If I need to change that, I can. 
> 
> Minor swearing warning, just in casies people don't like swearing. (I'm a big fan of it myself, hence the swearing.)
> 
> This fic is also entirely self-indulgent. In fact, it's so self indulgent, I wrote it shortly after posting _Time For That Now_ , but didn't expect to be posting it, which is why I'm posting it... three days later. I have a strange work schedule and insomnia, it works, alright? I also had to let it sit before editing, as I do with most things I write. I like to have fresh not-three-in-the-goddamn-morning eyes look at my writing. Sometimes it works, sometimes I forget words or entire sentences or misspell Caleb as "Caelb" more times than I'll ever admit. But enough with the excuse, and on with the story!  
> Enjoy!!

Mollymauk, in his life, has slapped a great number of people.

One doesn't get far in the circus (or in life, really), without the occasional receiving or giving of a good, solid, slap.

So once the fight died down, and none of them could hear over the roar of blood in their own ears, Molly smothered the still-on-fire priest and slapped Caleb clean across the face. It echoed in a way that makes Molly flinch.

Even with his warmer-than-human hands, Molly could _feel_ how clammy Caleb's skin was, despite the proximity to the fire.

"There's time for that later." Molly said once Caleb could register anything but his own demons. Caleb mumbled a yes, and on impulse, because Molly has been told by many reliable sources that he is two-thirds impulse, he plants a big kiss on Caleb's forehead. 

Good shock to counter a bad shock. Mollymauk’s a firm believer in it.

He helped Caleb up, and Beau threw an arm around the other human's shoulder. Together they led him out of the mines, Jester grumbling about carrying the manticore head until Fjord jumped in to help her, Nott ahead with Shakäste, still limping from her fight with the manticore.

Molly had seen Caleb's eyes go blank before—seen what happens when Caleb takes Frumpkin's sight, how they glaze over, but this?  
This wasn't like that.

This was something much, _much_ different.

The trek to the surface was slow, but steady, Nott leading them past traps as she spotted them. Jester made a few jokes about the head licking Fjord, but for the most part, they all just wanted to make it back to Alfield without issue.

By the time they did make it back, almost everyone was back to themselves, Mollymauk and Jester even taking some delight in the Crown's Guard's horror of the manticore head.  
But not Caleb. 

As the guard ran to get Bryce, Caleb still had yet to speak, and Molly watched as he took Nott's bloodied hand into his own, shaking one, and from his spot, Molly heard Nott quietly tell Caleb that she got him some book money.

It would have been adorable if it wasn't so damn heartbreaking, and Mollymauk knew he had to do something. 

After the promise of a celebration in their honor and Bryce shepherding them back to the Feed and Mead Tavern, Mollymauk watched as Caleb sat motionless, Nott watching him with her big, sorrowful eyes. Jester gave Mollymauk a wink, and tempted Nott into a conversation with some bacon and hamster sized unicorns. 

Good lass. Both of them, really. But it did Nott some good to have friends closer to her own likeness. Humans didn't always understand what it was like to be called a monster like goblins or tieflings did.

Mollymauk shook his head, and strode over to Caleb

"Alright, c'mon." Molly said as he took a seat next to Caleb. Caleb jumped like he hadn't seen Molly, and then drifted... well, Molly didn't know where he went, but he went somewhere. Knowing that Fjord and Beau were both watching, that everyone was worried, Molly tried again to reach him. He placed a hand on Caleb's shoulder, wincing internally as the human jumped again.

"You back with us?" Molly asked, keeping his voice low. Caleb nodded, and somewhere in vastness of Wildemount, Mollymauk could feel Ornna's scowl on him. "Words, Caleb. I know it's hard, but if you can." The irony didn't escape Molly that he was now in the fire dancer's position, with him helping someone in a position similar to his own. Dear Gods, if Yasha ever found out that he was Ornna-ing a Mollymauk-ing Caleb, she'd probably laugh herself sick. But to Molly's relief, Caleb found his tongue far quicker than Molly had.

" _Ja._ " He said, voice hoarse. It could be from the smoke, but Molly knew better. "I am... back. With you." Beside him, Nott, bless her heart, leaned into Caleb, pressing her small body against his. Caleb threw a glance towards her, but Jester had already lured her back into a game with bacon, and the goblin wasn't one to refuse a good meal.

"Glad to hear it." Molly said, and Caleb would never understand the double meaning to his words, but Mollymauk worked for a circus; most people never did. "Now, let's get out of here." Caleb stared blankly at Molly, confusion written across his face as clear as the tattoo on Molly's.

" _Was_?" Molly hadn't ever learned Zemnian (the circus wasn't even close enough to the Zemni Fields to warrant it, and he was fairly certain Desmond knew it anyway), but he knew a question when he heard it.

"You're not a fan of people, right?" Or baths, or fires, or a lot of things, Molly was beginning to realize. "Well, let's get back to the room then. The rest can enjoy the night."  
Molly stood, and with gentle hands, took Caleb's elbow for the second time that day and guided him up. From the corner of his eye, Mollymauk saw Beau nod towards the other girls then back at him, her unspoken agreement to watch out for them clear. He'd have to do something nice for her tomorrow. But not _too_ nice; Molly was never one to ruin a good rivalry in the making. 

Caleb stood more because Molly was guiding his body and less because he wanted to, and as he looked to Nott, Mollymauk saw worlds of stories flit across the human's face; guilt, fear, panic, that hint of longing to be normal that Molly still couldn't find the name to. 

Gods, save this poor man from himself. In the meantime, Mollymauk had his work cut out for him.

"She'll be fine." Molly said, keeping his voice low. As Caleb looked at him, Mollymauk could see that neither human nor goblin had let go of the other's hand. Molly tried again. "Nott'll be fine. She and Jester will have a grand time stealing baubles from the other patrons and Beau will watch out for them both with Fjord." Fjord, the lovely half orc he was, didn't even look upset that he had been volunteered for a watch. Instead he just nodded, chewing thoughtfully on some bacon.

"I can come too." Nott said, and put down her food. Mollymauk's heart ached in a way that he only recently discovered was a good thing, and for the smallest of seconds, Nott looked awfully like Toya. "It's—"

" _Nein_." Caleb blurted out. He smiled at Nott, all shake and no substance. " _Nein, bleib_." Apparently, from the look on Nott's face, they hadn't gotten to whatever "bleib" meant in her Zemnian lessons. "No, stay. I... I will be fine."

A grand total of no one was convinced by Caleb's reassurance, but not one called his bluff. Nott gave another squeeze of Caleb's hand, and over their heads, Molly mouthed 'distract her" to Jester in Infernal. Jester grinned, bright and cheery, and shoved more food onto Nott's plate. 

"We can practice stealing after you eat!" Jester said, and then began to rummage through her bag after a sudden realization. As she drew Nott's attention away from Caleb and towards donuts and shiny things, Fjord spoke up, voice low.

"We'll keep 'em both outta any sort of mischief." He told Caleb while mostly watching Jester place a moldy donut on the table with a flourish. Beside him, Beau held up the ball bearings.

"This should keep them both busy for a while too." She said with a smirk and a wicked glint in her eyes. Molly chuckled softly to himself as Fjord let out a resigned sigh. Caleb though, Caleb looked so damned lost that Molly couldn't help but frown.

"... _danke_." Caleb said after a few minutes, in a very small, still lost, voice.

"Up to the room with you now." Mollymauk said quietly. He wrapped an arm around Caleb's shoulders, offering both a shield from the few prying eyes in the tavern, and guidance back to the room. Caleb was there one minute and gone the next three; the last thing they needed was a half catatonic, traumatized spellcaster wandering around a bunch of already jumpy people. 

Mollymauk said nothing as they took the stairs slowly, Caleb wobbling on unsure feet, stairs creaking less from strain and more from poor craftmanship. Their room was close enough that it wasn't too hard to guide the human into the room. Caleb took a few steps forward as Molly closed the door behind them. It was past midnight by now, but the adrenaline hadn't quite run through, hence the late night dinner party downstairs. Croot, the owner, had been kind enough to light the lantern in their room, illuminating the small space just enough that Caleb wouldn't trip over Beau's unmade bedroll. 

Molly took a deep breath, aware of what he got himself into, what he had volunteered himself for, having been in a similar place.

"Right," He said, closing the door. He stepped next to Caleb, who blinked, confused. Mollymauk opened his mouth to say... well, he wasn't sure what he was going to say, two-thirds impulse and the like, but Caleb looked past him, and then Molly watched as his eyes went blank. 

He was gone again. Mollymauk sighed and rubbed at a horn. But then Caleb took a deep, stuttering breath, and steeled himself. Molly frowned.

Surely, Caleb knew why Molly led him away from everyone, left Nott in the capable hands of Jester, Beau, and Fjord, that it was alright to let go now, that it was safe?

But then again, this was Caleb, and Mollymauk Tealeaf hadn't met a man so smart and so hurt since he didn't recognize his own reflection.

"Caleb," Molly said, keeping his voice low and gentle, like he was soothing a wild thing. Though, perhaps that analogy was fitting for Caleb, with his wild hair, unkept clothes and skittish demeaner. Molly reached out, slow enough for Caleb to pull away, and place both his hands on the sides of the human's face. Caleb met Mollymauk's eyes for the briefest of seconds, then looked away, tears welling up.

Molly just wanted to shake him, slap him, to tell him that it was fine to let go, to let it out, but that wouldn't solve anything; Caleb would just put walls up again, lock himself away from the rest of them, and hurt everyone, but no one as much as himself.

After all, it was what Molly did.

But that was an age and a lifetime ago, and Mollymauk was a tiefling of his actions, not his past. So he opted for a gentler approach.

"Caleb." Molly wasn't the best at being firm (he was the one who would let Toya stay up too late to look at the stars with him, after all), but he could be when called for it. And this called for it. He tried to meet Caleb's eyes, but the human refused to look at him. "Caleb, I don't know what happened, and I won't pretend that everything's going to be fine. But you're safe here. It's just you and me, just us." Caleb swallowed, and spoke in the shakiest voice Molly had ever heard him speak with.

"No fires." Damn. If that didn't break Mollymauk's heart then he must be the heartless monster everyone believed tieflings to be. Molly took one hand and swept away Caleb's hair, staring at the paler than normal, grimy face of his friend.

Because that's what they were. 

You didn't almost die six times in less than a week of knowing each other without becoming something. And the hurt of the circus dissolving was still too raw to call them Family, but friends.

Friends were something Molly always wanted to have in abundance. 

"No fires." Molly agreed. In the back of his mind, he made a note to get rid of the lantern in the room; Beau would complain, but it wasn't worth risking another flashback from Caleb. "You're alright, _A Chara_ , no fires." Caleb reached out, his entire body trembling, and held onto Molly like it was the only thing to keep him from drowning in his own demons. 

Caleb tried, he _tried so damn hard _all the _damn_ time, and he was still trying to hold it together. __

___There's time later_ , Molly had said. Well, it was later._ _

__Mollymauk cupped Caleb's face in his hands, tears leaving ghostly pale tracks on his cheeks, take some of the dirt with it._ _

__"Shhhh, _A Chara_ , just let it out. It's alright, just let it out. There's time now, there's time now, it's alright." Molly soothed, gently rubbing tears away. But Caleb just shook his head, tears streaming down his face as he tried to choke back the sobs. _ _

__Gods, there weren't enough words to explain to the ache in Mollymauk's chest. Caleb, who'd risk his life for Nott, who woke up the only other human during a watch to see if a buffalo was going to kill them, who hoarded books and read with a fervor that Mollymauk hadn't even quite seen, this was somehow the same Caleb who'd been through so much shit that he was barely scraping by, but hid it away from everyone, lest he burden them with his friendship._ _

__Even in the circus, Molly couldn't have related this closely to someone._ _

__A noise left Mollymauk without his permission, a tiny sob twinning in pain to Caleb's own, and Molly pulled the human closer, thankful that his height allowed him to fit Caleb into the crook of his neck._ _

__Caleb gasped and choked on his sobs, grip loosening for a split second before tightening when he realized that Molly wasn't going to push him away._ _

__"There's time now, Caleb. Take all the time you need."_ _

__Mollymauk wrapped one arm around Caleb, holding him tight in case his legs gave out. He left the other in Caleb's hair, untangling any knots, trying his best to sooth something Caleb had tried to push away, something unable to be soothed, untamable._ _

__Molly didn't shush him, didn't try to calm the tears. He just smoothed Caleb's hair as he held him close, and pressed a kiss into the ginger strands._ _

__Caleb broke into a new wave of sobs, holding onto Molly, and that._ _

__That hurt more than Caleb thinking he'd be dealing with this himself._ _

__"Oh Caleb, the world's really done a number on you." Molly murmured, more to himself than Caleb. Hell, he didn't even know if Caleb could hear him over the crying. "But it's alright, we've got you. Us weirdos, we stick together. And it's alright, there's time now. There's time now. Just let it out." Molly held Caleb, steadfast like a circus pole, _like family_ , and let Caleb ride out the sobs, undemanding, uncritical, and remained just _there_._ _

__Caleb cried for a long time. Mollymauk was certain that someone would have walked in on them, embarrassing Caleb further, but no one did. It was late when he finally calmed down enough to mostly silent tears, Molly moved just enough to look at his friend._ _

__It was hard to tell, even with his dark vision, but Mollymauk was certain that Caleb's eyes were bloodshot. Molly brushed Caleb's hair out of his face (one of these days Molly was going to help Jester with her "get Caleb a bath" quest by teaching Caleb how to actually style his hair), and guided him over to the bed._ _

__The bed was small, and pressed against one of the walls to make for more floorspace. With six people in one room, "tight corners" was putting it lightly._ _

__"You might be more comfortable if you take the jacket off." Mollymauk said, keeping his voice down. "That something you need help with?"_ _

__" _Ja, Hilfst du mir?_?" Caleb slurred out, drunk on sleep exhaustion and adrenaline crash._ _

__"I don't speak Zenmian, Caleb." Molly said softly. "Is it alright?" Caleb blinked, long and slow, and Mollymauk did not envy the crash he was going to be experiencing come morning._ _

__"Yes, please. Help?" Caleb repeated as he fumbled with his coat. Molly assisted Caleb in removing the coat, and with only the slightest hesitation on Caleb's part, the holster of books as well._ _

__"I'll place these under the bed, with my swords." Molly narrated his actions, and made quick work of his own coat, placing it alongside Caleb's own._ _

__It was easy enough to get Caleb to lay down; he had already been exhausted before the emotional dam broke._ _

__"All the way to the edge, go on." Molly murmured, gently manhandling Caleb into a spot with his back flush against the wall. "There you go." With a groan, Molly laid down next to him, scooching in close to box Caleb in. Mollymauk would have guess that in any other circumstance, Caleb wouldn't take being caged in as well, but being exhausted and probably feeling more vulnerable than he had in a while (if ever), Caleb took to it rather well._ _

__"Don't need blankets with tieflings." Mollymauk said with quiet amusement. "We could be paid as bed warmers. In the most platonic sense, of course." Caleb made a noncommittal noise that said he was awake enough to know that Molly was talking, but not enough to really understand what Molly was saying._ _

__That was alright. Molly had spent plenty of times talking without purpose. One more night to help a friend wouldn't hurt._ _

__"I don't believe I've ever told you about the time Bosun decided to arm wrestle any able-bodied man in town for some extra coin. Now, it was mostly for show, of course. Good way of drawing people in. Not many people can go up against Bo's muscles and win. But I knew I could make for a good show, so I asked Toya if she wanted to have a little fun with it. She thought it'd be funny, so off we went to the tavern..."_ _

__And Molly continued on, talking quietly, mostly about nothing in particular, running one hand through Caleb's hair, soothing and calm as can be.  
It was around the third story, this one about Yasha and the Knott Sisters trying to come up with an act for him, that the door opened, and a pair of yellow eyes peaked through. Molly let out a sigh of relief._ _

__"He's asleep." He told Nott, voice barely above a whisper._ _

__"Oh, good." Jester stage whispered from above Nott. "I thought we would have to make Fjord sing a lullaby. He has a very nice voice you know." Mollymauk chuckled as they stepped into the room, Fjord and Beau just behind them._ _

__"I'm sure he does." Molly said. "But perhaps another time." Jester nodded, and began to yank off her boots. Beau squinted in the low light of the room, and then sighed and put the lantern out._ _

__"If I die from tripping over someone's weapon," Beau hissed out as she fumbled her way to her bedroll. "I'm gonna be pissed."_ _

__"Lemme help darlin'." Fjord, ever the gentleman, guided Beau to her bedroll, where she flopped down onto it with a sigh of relief. At the foot of the bed, Nott was staring wide-eyed at Caleb._ _

__"He's really alright?" Nott asked, turning her gaze to Molly. Molly paused, unsure of what to say._ _

__"If he isn't," Molly finally settled on. "He has us to help him." Nott nodded, pleased with the answer, and clambered onto the bed, curling up onto of Caleb's legs, asleep in seconds._ _

__"I'll take the floor tonight." Fjord told Molly with a slight grin. "Seein' how you seem to be a bit stuck."_ _

__"Very stuck." Jester said, flopping down next to Molly before wriggling to be back to back with him. "Like melted candy, or gooey pastries."_ _

__"So it would seem." Molly said back to Fjord. "You're welcome to borrow my coat as a pillow."_ _

__"Mighty kind of you." Fjord said as he settled down out of Molly's sight. Molly sighed softly and carded through Caleb's hair again. The human hadn't even stirred with all of the commotion, which could be a good or bad thing. Molly didn't know. As he slowly slipped into sleep himself, Mollymauk heard a voice next to him, softly, in Infernal._ _

__"Weirdos stick together."_ _

__Molly smiled._ _

__So they did._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> As you maybe have noticed, this is now part of the "Hush, Scream" collection. This will include any more stories I write surrounding episode 7, or anything that branches off from these two stories that does not fit the canon of episode 8 and beyond. :)
> 
> Translations!  
> Ja- Yes (German)  
> Was- What (German)  
> Nein- No (German)  
> Nein, bleib- No, stay (German)  
> Danke- Thank you (German)  
> A Chara- my friend (Irish Gaelic term of endearment--I got this one from google, so if I'm wrong please let me know!)  
> Ja, Hilfst du mir?- Yes, please help me. (German, thanks to LorettaFryingPan and Leo for the correction! German is not my strong suit, so I appreciate the help!)
> 
> The support I've gotten for _Time For That Now_ has been overwhelming (or flabbergasting, as is my favorite word to describe it), and I really hope that people enjoy/enjoyed _Weirdos Stick Together_ as well. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below, or, if people are so inclined to discuss Critical Role, I guess you can find me on my tumblr avengingpixie too  
>  (I mean, you can obviously find me there, but I'm not certain that anyone would want to reach out on there, which is fine!!
> 
> ...  
> well, my social anxiety is getting the best of me, I'm going for a walk; goodbye.)


End file.
